How Falkirk Council is funding the £45k temporary boilers at the town hall to allow panto to go ahead

After the heating system failed in the building last week, the local authority was forced to delay the first performance of the professional panto, Sleeping Beauty, which had been due to see the curtain go up last Friday, December 9. Instead the run began with the Saturday matinee after the cast had been unable to hold their rehearsals in the freezing building.

However, this week came the news that the temporary boilers, installed at a cost of £45,000, had also failed and two performances on Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon were cancelled. The cast were back on stage last night after the problem had been resolved. However, some large group bookings have not been able to be accommodated on new dates and will miss seeing the show.

In September, the SNP administration won the support of the Conservative group to go ahead with the closure, with the proviso that it was delayed to allow the youth theatre company Big Bad Wolf to put on their show at the end of January.

The SNP later said the decision to close was not taken lightly, adding it was “one of the most painful we, as a council, will have ever had to take”.

Last year, Falkirk Council had pledged to keep the town hall open until a replacement facility was ready, despite the fact that the adjoining Municipal Buildings are currently being demolished. But a report to councillors found that cost of separating the two, then repairing the town hall would be £6 million.

Talking about the panto cancellations, Falkirk Council’s director of place, Malcolm Bennie, said: “It’s precisely the very same warning that officers made to elected members in September that it was proving increasingly challenging to put on performances. We’re in a situation now where we’re really struggling to make sure the building can operate to deliver what it needs to.”

A Falkirk Council spokesperson said the temporary boilers would be paid for from the their “reactive maintenance budget for buildings which experience disruption during the financial year”.

They added: “The council remains confident that the temporary boiler will enable the remaining Sleeping Beauty performances to take place as planned. Any further disruptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

“The report to council in September 2022 clearly stated that the ‘vulnerability of the FTH threatens the council’s reputation as there is a danger that future shows could be disrupted due to the failings of the building’. Closure of the building after the panto was considered to be appropriate due to the fact the panto is the most popular and successful event staged by the Council and would be a fitting end to the building’s history.

“Falkirk Council contacted all ticket holders in advance of the disrupted shows to apologise for the situation. All those attending public performances have been offered alternative performance dates. Disappointingly, we have not been able to accommodate schools and have issued refunds to those affected.

“All groups who had bookings for FTH Theatre in 2023 have been contacted and, where possible, their lets relocated.”